Honestly, one of my favorite parts of this job is reading what clients say after they get home! After a while, the feedback starts to sound familiar in the best possible way, because the same few things come up again and again. And it’s rarely the destination itself. It’s the details people didn’t expect to matter as much as they did, and those details tell my mom and me a lot about what actually makes a trip feel different when you work with our team. Here’s what our clients point out most, and what it means for you if you’re thinking about traveling with us!
The little details that feel personal
One of my all-time favorite pieces of feedback came after an anniversary trip. While we were planning, we quietly asked the husband for a copy of their wedding photo, then worked with the hotel to have it printed, framed, and waiting in their room with a handwritten note. She had no idea it was coming! The message we got from them afterward said everything, and it’s exactly why we do this. Clients often say that Susan “goes above and beyond to provide the small things that truly matter,” and I couldn’t agree more (she’s the one who taught me!). These details are never accidental. They come from listening closely during planning and paying attention to why a trip matters to you, so it feels like it was planned by someone who actually knows you.
A planning process that feels easy
A lot of our clients mention how easy the whole process felt, and I love hearing that! Flights, transportation, hotel views, timing between stops, all of it gets handled so the pieces fit together before you ever leave home. One couple told us everything on their Maui trip “just went according to plan,” and another said they didn’t have to do anything except show up and enjoy it. That’s the goal! About 30 days before you travel, I also walk you through your whole itinerary step by step, so you know exactly what’s happening, who to call if anything comes up, and where all your documents are. Fewer decisions, less stress, and the confidence that the details are covered.
Support when something doesn’t go perfectly
Travel isn’t always flawless, and clients notice how we show up when something goes sideways. One traveler told us about a small transportation delay that we fixed right away, refund and all, while they relaxed and enjoyed their first drink of the trip! Honestly, though, my favorite saves are the ones clients never even hear about. I once had honeymoon clients heading to Italy, and when I emailed each hotel to flag them as VIPs, every single hotel came back saying they didn’t have the reservation. Instead of panicking, I kept pushing until one hotel asked if I meant a “Spirits” party. The vendor had gotten their last name wrong on everything! I had them correct every train ticket, hotel, and transfer, and my clients never knew there was a problem. I’m your advocate, and a big part of that is catching things before they ever reach you.
Relationships that last past the booking
This past Christmas, we sent handwritten cards to our clients just to say thank you, and the response was overwhelming! So many people told us how meaningful it was to be remembered. One review said that even outside of travel planning, our team is “incredibly kind, helpful, and considerate,” and that means the world to us. I also love when clients keep me in the loop during their trip. I had a honeymoon couple who thought they could “only afford” Hawaii until I showed them that Tahiti was only about 90 minutes farther, and later they texted me “WE MADE IT!” with a picture of themselves on the beach. It made my whole day! Our clients are people we genuinely love working with, and many of them come back to us for their next trip and the one after that.
What it all adds up to
Clients describe working with Susan, me, and the rest of our team as friendly, patient, supportive, and personal, and a lot of them say they never thought they’d use a travel advisor and now they’d never travel any other way! We’re a boutique, mother-daughter agency (my mom is the numbers person and I’m the creative one, and honestly, we make a pretty great team). We work with a limited number of clients so we can give every trip this level of care. Our Virtuoso relationships give our clients VIP treatment and extra perks at partner properties, but the heart of what we do will always be personal.
If you’ve been looking for thoughtful planning, someone in your corner when something comes up, and a trip that feels designed just for you, that’s where I come in! Book a complimentary consultation with me! We’ll get to know each other, I’ll walk you through how Susan’s Travel Services works (including what being a Virtuoso agency means for you), and we’ll talk about next steps.